🔴 Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai ×The University of Osaka！🔵 Faculty and Students of School of Foreign Studies, Portuguese Language Major, Invited to NOVA University Lisbon Exhibition & Special Event

On Sunday, July 27, Shintaro Torigoe, a lecturer of the Department of Foreign Studies in the Graduate School of Humanities and the School of Foreign Studies, and 23 undergraduate students were invited to the NOVA University Lisbon exhibition and special event held at the Portugal Pavilion of the Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai. The exhibition featured multiple signage displays introducing various research fields the university is engaged in, as well as an augmented reality (AR) experience. After viewing the exhibition, the students explored the exhibits in the Portugal Pavilion on the themes of ocean, history, and life. The fourth-year students, in particular, actively asked questions to the NOVA University Lisbon faculty members who explained the exhibits in Portuguese. At the end, the group was granted special access to the rooftop performance space, which is normally closed to the public, where they took commemorative photos.

In the afternoon, as part of the special event, the group attended a session on the rooftop space by a research institute in the field of information data, followed by a social gathering. In the evening, the students wound down and enjoyed a performance by a DJ invited from Portugal.

Below are some comments from the undergraduate students who participated.

“I felt ever closer to the sea and the university in Portugal and enjoyed the food and dancing to the fullest. It was my first experience of this kind, and I will cherish it all my life.”
(Hina Nishida, 1st year, Portuguese Language Major, School of Foreign Studies)

“I was able to talk a lot with students and staff from the NOVA University Lisbon and to learn a great deal thanks to the opportunity to put to use what I have been learning in conversations, so it was such a meaningful experience! I am thinking of studying abroad in Portugal, so it was very useful to learn in detail about the university and hear from the students about the differences between Portugal and Japan in terms of climate and food. Even though I managed to understand little of what they were saying, it was rewarding to recognize words I had learned, which gave me the motivation to continue with the Portuguese language until I can understand everything they say.”
(Riho Takazawa, 1st year, Portuguese Language Major, School of Foreign Studies)

"Not only did I learn about Portuguese history at the pavilion, but I also gained insights into the NOVA University Lisbon through the session. It was such a valuable opportunity."
(Hitomi Okuda, 1st year, Portuguese Language Major, School of Foreign Studies)

“It was a wonderful opportunity to think about studying abroad, as I was able to hear from students of the university about what they study and how they find the environment.”
(Kazusa Oka, 1st year, Portuguese Language Major, School of Foreign Studies)

On Tuesday, July 29, a signing ceremony for an inter-university exchange agreement between UOsaka and the NOVA University Lisbon was held at the Co-Creative Innovation Building on the Suita Campus. During the discussion prior to the ceremony, João Sàágua, President of the VOVA University Lisbon, also mentioned the exhibition tour by our university's Portuguese language majors.

Click here for information about Expo 2025-related events by the University of Osaka! (link in Japanese)

In addition, we will be sharing various updates, such as preparation progress and on-site reports, on our university's X and Facebook , as well as the UOsaka Expo 2025 Promotion Office (Expo Promotion Office) Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Please follow us and stay tuned!